Chemical dispersion device for swimming pools



3,426,901 CHEMICAL DISPERSION DEVICE FOR SWIMMING POOLS Filed Jan. 15, 1968 D. $HERPER Feb. 11, 1969 H lwma M W p. SHERPER CHEMICAL DISPERSION DEVICE FOR SWIMMING POOLS Filed Jan. 15. 1968 sheeti "ER'TOR. DAVID SHERPER United States Patent 3,426,901 CHEMICAL DISPERSION DEVICE FOR SWIMMING POOLS David Sherper, 11103 SW. 79th Ave., Miami, Fla. 33156 Filed Jan. 15, 1968, Ser. No. 697,705 US. Cl. 210-169 3 Claims Int. Cl. E0411 3/20 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates in general to swimming pool accessories and more particularly to an automatic means for introducing predetermined quantities of disinfectant material into the pool water during the skimming operation, which removes debris from the top of the water by the power filtering circulation of the water.

Prior to the present invention the water in the pool was treated or otherwise disinfected by manually pouring given amounts of pH adjusting or disinfecting liquids into the pool for slow, random diffusion therein, such as the use of highly chlorinated solutions or other chemicals for minimizing bacteria and the formation of fungus, algae and the like. This practice is subject to wide variance of human error and the concentration of the materials used and is often ineifectively weak or sufliciently strong to be dangerous.

The above objections and disadvantages are completely overcome in the present invention by the provision of a container within the pool connected in the water skimming outlet or inlet of the pool, in which a solid disinfectant material is adapted to be fed by gravity for erosion and diffusion at a predetermined rate into the water when the pool is skimmed or the water otherwise circulated therein.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a container for connection to the skimming outlet of a pool for retaining sealed therein a stick of solid disinfectant material subject to descent feed therein by gravity, with the solid container connected in the outlet for erosion of the lower end of the stick and complete disperson of the chemicals into the water when the pool is being skimmed and filtered by power means.

These and other objects and advantages in one embodiment of the invention are described and shown in the following specification and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation in reduced scale of a typical swimming pool skimmer with the chemical dispersion device attached thereto, with a portion broken away.

FIG. 2 is a top elevation of the skimmer and device shown in FIG. 1 with a portion thereof broken away.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken through section line 3-3, FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional top plan View taken through section line 4-4, FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional bottom plan view taken through section line 5-5, FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 illustrates the skimmer and chemical dispersion device when the pool is filled to an excessive depth.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show one of several typical skimmer assemblies attached to a skimmer outlet conduit in a pool including the automatic chemical dispersion device for diffusing predetermined disinfectant and/ or other chemicals during this skimming operation of the device, which operation simultaneously chemically treats and removes debris floating upon the top of the water.

Most swimming pools are equipped with filter systems which include power water circulating means having an inlet and an outlet water conducting means in the pool.

The water outlet conduit 1 for skimming is usually in the wall of the pool a predetermined distance down from the normal water level, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

All of the elements to be hereinafter described are preferably made from tough, water and shock resistant plastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride, A.B.S., or Zytel.

An upward facing elbow 2 is connected to the outlet conduit by a pipe 3 and usually a reducer 4, best shown in FIG. 3. A riser pipe 5 terminates in a circular disc 6 centrally threaded on the upper end thereof.

The lower hexagonal portion 7 of a water control unit has secured thereto a vertical hollow cylindrical casing or container 8 with the lower end thereof positioned against the upper side of disc 6 for retaining a soluble chemical stick to be hereinafter described.

A hollow cylindrical float member 9, having a uniform wall thickness, terminates around the upper end thereof in an inner downward extending torus shaped cavity filled with a plastic foam 10 such as urethane foam, which imparts a predetermined buoyancy to the float. The float is coaxially positioned over the disc 6 with a predetermined clearance between the inner wall of the float and the outer periphery of the disc.

The float is adapted for limited upward vertical movement by three screws 11 in the lower end portion thereof and limited for downward movement by the engagement of the torus portion of the float with the disc 6.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the hexagonal portion 7 of the Water control unit is integral with an upper portion 12, which is secured Within the lower end 13 of the container 8 by well known means. The upper end of the container 8 is fitted with a removable friction scalable cap 14, as

shown.

The portion 12 of the water control unit has extending upward therefrom a cylindrical projection forming four co-planar lands 15 normal to the axis of the unit, which are formed by four lateral vortex grooves 16, as shown, which grooves enter a central major hole 17 forming a common passage into a bottom internal cylindrical cavity in the unit which is open to pipe 5.

Referring -to FIGS. 4 and 5, five equi-spaced major radial holes 18 are provided through the lower end 13 of container 8 and through portion 12 opening into the aforesaid internal cylindrical cavity in the unit forming a path for water and surface debris to flow from the inside of the float directly into the pipe 5.

Eight equi-spaced vertical holes 19 are in equi-spaced coaxial relation to portion 12 and enter into the aforesaid cylindrical cavity, as shown, forming part of the bypass for chemically treated water.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the lower end 13 of the container is provided with two spaced peripheral rows of a predetermined number of radial metering holes 20 in predetermined space relation and of predetermined diameter, best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, for completing 3 the water path for chemical treatment to be hereinafter described.

The dot-dash lines W illustrate the approximate normal water level of a pool. The dot-dash lines W illustrate the water level raised to a height to submerge metering holes 20 for the chemical treatment of the water by the above described apparatus.

FIG. 6 illustrates an abnormal water level by dot-dash lines W which does not seriously dissolve the chemical stick 21 in the pool unless the water is circulated for filtering purposes.

In operation a solid chemical stick 21 in the form of an elongated cylinder is placed within container 8 with the lower end thereof resting by gravity on the four lands 15 and the cap 14 sealed on the upper end of the container, as shown. One form of chemical stick comprises a compound based on cyanuric acid with a high saturation of chlorine, commonly known in the trade as Chlor-Aqua. This compound is only slightly soluble in static water but subject to erosion and predetermined increased solubility in the presence of moving water. It is thus apparent that when the device is in an overfilled pool of water, illustrated in FIG. 6, the solubility of the lowerend of the chemical stick is slow or practically nil.

When the pool is skimmed by power circulating the Water therein, by well known means, with the level at W in FIG. 1, then water will flow freely into the float member 9 and form an external vortex above the disc 6, which operation will carry floating debris through the skimmer for exit in conduit 1. The Water will enter the holes 18 and flow downward through pipe to the exit conduit 1. When the float rests at a normal skimming level then water will flow through the metering holes 20, shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. When the incoming water in the skimmer reaches a level above the holes 20, which is a normal condition during the skimming operation, then the Water will enter grooves 16 and descend through hole 17 into pipe 5 and form a second vortex directly under and in contact with the lower end of the chemical stick and erode same to the extent of dispersing a predetermined amount of chemical, in this case chlorine, in the water being circulated. As the stick erodes away, it will descend by gravity until consumed. In order that the grooves 16 do not impede the flow in the upper portion of the control unit a predetermined portion of the incoming water in the upper portion of portion 12 will descend through the holes 19 directly into pipe 5 for exit into conduit 1.

It :is now apparent that since the float will rise and fall within limits, the operation of the chemical dispersion device is substantially the same during the power skimming of the pool.

It is understood that certain modifications in the above construction, utilizing the features described, are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A device to dissolve and disperse a solid chemical into the water in a pool comprising power means to circulate water to and from said pool when energized, conduit means connecting said power circulation means with an outlet port from said pool, conduit means connecting said power circulation means with an inlet means to said pool, outlet means in said pool including said outlet port and terminating in a vertical conduit with the opening in the upper end thereof located a predetermined distance below the surface of the normal water level in said pool,

a water control member secured on the upper end of said vertical conduit having a major vertical coaxial bore therethrough in junction with a plurality of major radial bores therethrough to conduct the flow of water therethrough into said vertical conduit when the said water is at a first predetermined level,

an integral coaxial projection extending upward from said control member a predetermined distance and having a plurality of channels transversely across the tangential to said major bore and forming a like plurality of co-planar horizontal surfaces at the upper end of said control member,

an elognated casing having the lower end portion thereof secured to said control member in vertical coaxial relation therewith and provided with a plurality of radial holes positioned in mating coaxial relation with said radial bores and including a removable hermetic closure on the upper end portion thereof to retain an elongated body of solid chemical in said casing,

a plurality of radial metering holes through and around the periphery of said casing substantially adjacent said channels and said horizontal surfaces,

an elongated body of water soluble solid state chemical loosely retained in said casing and resting by gravity on said horizontal surfaces of said control member so that the said water from said first level in said pool will enter said mating holes and said major bores and flow directly into said vertical conduit and so that said water at a predetermined higher level than first level will also flow into said metering holes and through said channels and around the lower end portion of said chemical and continuously dissolve and disperse same into said water when said power means is energized.

2. A chemical dispersion attachment to a cylindrical buoyant skimmer means for a swimming pool, said skimmer means connected to a power system constructed and arranged to filter and circulate water to and from said pool, said skimmer means and chemical dispersion attachment comprising a vertical outlet conduit connected to an outlet meahs from said pool to said power system and extending upwardly therefrom with the upper end thereof located a predetermined distance below the normal surface level of the water in said pool,

a circular skimmer disc coaxially secured to the upper end portion of said outlet conduit and of such construction and so positioned in said skimmer means to slidably retain said skimmer means for predetermined vertical buoyant movement,

a water control member coaxially secured to the upper end of said outlet conduit adjacent the upper side of said disc,

an elongated casing having the lower end portion thereof secured to said control member in vertical coaxial relation therewith and including a remova-ble hermetic closure on the upper end portion thereof,

said control member having a vertical coaxial bore therethrough to provide a fluid connection from the interior of said casing to said outlet conduit,

a coxial projection extending upward from said control member a predetermined distance and having a plurality of channels across the upper side thereof in fluid connection with said vertical bore and forming a like plurality of co-planar horizontal surfaces at the upper end of said control member,

an elongated body of solid chemical of predetermined solubility loosely retained in said casing and resting by gravity on said horizontal surfaces,

said casing having a plurality of radial metering holes through and around the periphery thereof substantially adjacent said horizontal surfaces of said projection and so arranged that the flow of the surface water in the said pool into said skimmer means and over said disc will enter said metering holes and flow through said channels and bore to said outlet conduit and continuously erode and dissolve the lower end portion of said chemical into said water when said power system is operated.

3. The construction recited in claim 2 including a plurality of auxiliary holes through said control member parallel to, in radial relation with, and in fluid connection upper end thereof in fluid connection with and 7 with said vertical coaxial bore to increase the flow of References Cited UNITED Biehl 210242 X Currie 23267 X Fredericks 23267 Dickey et a1. 210169 STATES PATENTS SAMIH N. ZAHARNA, Primary Examiner. Belmont 23-272.7 Kretzschmar et a1. 210 2O6 X W. S. BRADBURY, Assistant Examznei. Mau 210-206 X Crawford 210169 X Gleason 10 23 272.7;210 242, 206

Leslie 210-169 X 

